Blow torch for use with solidified fuel



Jan. 21, 1947.

R. DINKLAGE BLOW TORCH FOR USELWITH SOLIDIFIED FUEL Filed July 12, 19432 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 74 pa Jan. 21, 1947. R. DINKLAGE BLOW TORCHFOR USE WITH SOLIDIFIED FUEL Filed July 12, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' IN VEN TOR.

1 M w OM 6 Patented Jan. 21, 1947 BLOW TORCH FOR USE WITH SOLIDIFIEDRalph Dinklage, Manhasset, N. Y., assignor to Safety-Fuel Incorporated,West Cheshire, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application July 12,1943, Serial No. 494,316

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in blow torchesfor use with solidified fuel.

This and further objects of the invention will be understood from thefollowing description read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional cut through one embodiment of the inventionwith certain parts shown in side elevation;

Fig. 2 represents a front view of the construction illustrated in Fig.1; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional top view of the construction shownin Fig. 1 on the plane III-III thereof.

As 'shown in the drawings, fuel chamber I having preferably a concavebottom 2 is hermetically sealed at its top by the cover 3 strengthenedby spider element 4. A gasket or washer 5 is provided between the cover3 and the upper portion of shoulder 6 carried by the housing 9 of fuelchamber I adjacent the top thereof. Dolly bar 'I and set screw 8 holdcover 3 tightly against gasket or washer 5 lying on shoulder 6, thushermetically sealing fuel chamber I. A combustion chamber Ill comprisingthe mantel I I and the perforations I2 is threaded into the connectingpiece I3 preferably riveted to the housing 9 by rivets II. Theconnecting piece I3 has the fuel gas communication channel or ducts I4,I5 leading from fuel chamber I to combustion chamber ID by way of nozzlehead IS. A needle valve 20, including valve seat I8 and valve stem I9controls the gas supply to nozzle head I 6. Numeral 2I indicates ahandle preferably riveted to housing 9 by means of rivets 22 on thehousing side opposite the combustion chamber. A removable fuelreceptacle 24 is preferably provided in chamber I and substantially heldin fixed position by the heads of the rivets ll, 22 and 23, as

well as the spider arms 4, pressed against the inwardly bent receptaclerim or shoulder 25 by means of dolly bar I and set screw 8.

The blow torch in accordance with the invention is designed for usewithsolidified normally liquid flammable fuel such as a hydrocarbon fuelof relatively low flash point and essentially comprises a fuel chamberfor holding such solidified fuel, means for charging said fuel chamberwith such solidified fuel, means for hermetically sealing said chargingmeans, a combustion chamber for combusting vapors of such fuel, meansfor passing vapors of such fuel from said fuel chamber into saidcombustion chamber and means for conducting heat from said combustionchamber to said fuel chamber.

J In the practical application of my novel blow torch I proceed asfollows. Dolly bar 'I is removed from cover 3 by unscrewing set screw 8.After removal of cover 3 a solidified normally liquid flammable fuel,such as for instance, a solidified kerosene or naphtha is introducedinto fuel chamber I. This solidified fuel may be provided in containersand if so I prefer to insert a container of solidified fuel with the topremoved, into the fuel chamber I. Such practice is for instanceillustrated in the drawings in which a fuel container is indicated bynumeral 24 (Fig. 1). container-receptacle is preferred as the fuel,after its use in the blow torch, leaves a certain amount of residue,which in the case of the use of a separate container-receptacle can beremoved together with the same. After fuel chamber I has been chargedwith the solidified fuel the chamber is closed by means of the cover 3,dolly bar I and set screw 8, a vapor leak-proof seal being assured bythe gasket or washer of suitable material 5. In the event thatsolidified fuel is used in a removable container or recep- 7 tacle, suchreceptacle should be so dimensioned and spaced within the fuel chamberthat a sufficient space or conduit for the passage of gas vapors isassured to the duct I4, I5. This is accomplished by the rivet heads II.Although. not absolutely necessary, it may be desirable to appropriatelyspace the fuel container or receptacle 24 from all sides as is forinstance illustrated in Fig. 1 by the additional provision of the headsof the rivets 22 and 23. The important spacing, however, is thatadjacent the side of the combustion chamber and the gasor vapor conduitthere provided should be at least equivalent to that of duct or passageI4. The fuel vapors emanating from the fuel-receptacle 24 will risetothe top of the fuel chamber and to the spaces between the spider arms 4(Fig. 3) and thence to the space between housing 9 and receptacle 24From this latter space the fuel vapors pass 'to and through the conduitsI4, I5 and into the combustion chamber IIJ. After the solidified fuelhas been placed intothe fuel chamber I, cover 3 is replaced andtightened on housing 9 bymeans of the dolly bar I and set screw 8,providing a vaporproof seal by reason of the gasket or washers 5.

A suitable combustible fuel material, such as some solidified fuel, isplaced on the ledge or shelf 26 attached to housing 9 below thecombustion chamber I0 and the connecting piece I3. The preferably solidpiece I3 is made of heat conductive material and preferably of brass,cop- The use of the solidified fuel in a separate per, silver or thelike. While not absolutely necessary, it is preferable to also have theshelf or ledge 26 constituted of a highly heat conductive metal. Uponigniting the combustible fuel material on shelf or ledge 26, the samewill heat the mantel I I of fuel chamber I and/or the conducting piece'13, thereby causing heat to be transmitted to the housing 9 and fuelchamber l. The various heat conductive contacts between housing 9 andreceptacle 24 such as bottom 2, the heads of the rivets l l, 22, 23 orother appropriate means will aid in transmitting heat to receptacle 24.If the material of shelf or ledge 26 is itself constituted of heatconductive material, heat is also directly transmitted from the shelf tothe housing 9. The initial heat conducted to fuel chamber I willvaporize the solidified fuel in the fuel receptacle. Needle valve ispreferably only slightly open to permit the building up of a certainamount of fuel gas pressure and the gas emerging under pressure fromnozzle head l6 into fuel chamber I0 is there mixed with air suppliedthrough perforations i2. Once the combustible fuel vapor or gas mix isignited and its combustion reaches a point where the mantel ll of thefuel chamber I 0 becomes sufficiently hot, combustion heat passes frommantel ll through the connecting piece l3 and housing 9 to the fuelchamber, further heating by means of the fuel ledge'or tray 26 may thenbe discontinued. Needle valve 20 may then be opened wider and may begenerally controlled in any desired manner for regulating the gas supplyto nozzle 26 and thus to the combustion chamber It].

The heat conductive connections between the combustion chamber of theblow torch in accordance with my invention and the fuel chamber thereofshould be so dimensioned as to conduct an amount of heat from thecombustion chamber to the receptacle and/or the fuel chamber sufficientto be at least equal to the latent heat of vaporization of that amountof fuel required for the satisfactory combustion in the combustionchamber. This result may be, for instance, obtained as hereinabovepointed out and as illustrated in the drawings by selecting asubstantially solid connection piece such as connection piece l3substantially of a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectionalarea of the combustion mantel and to select a material of high thermalconductive efiiciency for the various heat conducting elements such asbrass, copper, silver or the like.

Within the preferred application of the blow torch in accordance withthe invention, the solidified normally liquid flammable fuel to be used.therein is preferably of the type that will not melt or run upon beingheated or burned. Such a fuel may be, for instance, obtained in"coordance with the co-pending application of Albert J. Laliberte,Serial No. 435,165 filed March 18, 1942, which became Patent No.2,385,361 on December 30, 19%. The vaporization of such fuel by heatconducted into the fuel chamber or the fuel receptacle proceeds withoutliquefaction of the fuel and thus there is no danger of leakage 4 orspillage of fuel no matter what the position of the blow torch.

The foregoing description is for purposes of illustration and not oflimitation and it is therefore my intention that the invention belimited only by the following claims wherein I have endeavored to claimbroadly all inherent novelty.

I claim:

A blow torch for use with solidified normally liquid flammable fuelwhich comprises means forming a pressure retaining fuel chamber, aremovable receptacle in said fuel chamber for holding such solidifiedfuel, said fuel chamber having an opening for inserting and removingsaid receptacle, means for hermetically sealing said opening, meansforming a combustion chamber for combusting vapors of such fuel, asubstantially solid metallic heat conductive member securing saidcombustion chamber in heat conductive relation to said fuel chamber, afuel vapor feed nozzle in said combustion chamber and a fuel vapor feedconduit connecting said nozzle with said pressure retaining chamber.

2. A blow torch for use with solidified normally liquid flammable fuelwhich comprises means forming a pressure retaining fuel chamber, aremovable receptacle in said fuel chamber for holding such solidifiedfuel, said fuel chamber having an opening for inserting and removingsaid receptacle, means for hermetically sealing said opening, meansforming a combustion chamber for combusting vapors of such fuel, asubstantially solid metallic heat conductive member securing saidcombustion chamber in heat conductive relation to said fuel chamber,means within said fuel chamber for spacing such receptacle from at leastthe chamber wall adjacent said metallic heat conductive member to definetherebetween a fuel vapor passage in communication with such receptaclewhen in said fuel chamber, a fuel vapor feed nozzle in said combustionchamber.

and a fuel vapor feed conduit connecting said nozzle with said fuelvapor passage.

3. A blow torch for use with solidified normally liquid flammable fuelwhich comprises means forming a pressure retaining fuel chamber of heatconductive material, a removable heat conductive receptacle in said fuelchamber for holding such solidified fuel, said fuel chamber having anopening for inserting and removing such receptacle, means forhermetically sealing said opening, means forming a combustion chamberfor combustion vapors of such fuel, a substantially solid heatconductive metal member carrying j feed conduit connecting said passagewith said nozzle and a control valve for regulating the amount of vaporfeed passing through said vapor feed conduit.

RALPH DIVNKLAGE. 1

